Cons

Wealthsimple Financial Inc. was established by Michael Katchen in Toronto, Canada in September 2014. The firm has approximately $1.9 billion CAD in assets under management as of February 2018. The growth is driven by the introduction of Wealthsimple in the US market back in 2016.

Simplicity and ease-of-use are Wealthsimple’s signature benefits.

The Wealthsimple Robo Advisor may be a relatively new entrant in the market, but it also happens to be the largest Robo Advisor in Canada before entering US territory. That is no easy feat considering the fact that Canada has a good collection of the best Robo Advisors in the form of BMO Smartfolio, ShareOwner, and Nest Wealth.

In this Wealthsimple review for 2018, we will find out how the service fares in terms of low fees and deposit limits, account and investment types, flexibility, and ease of use. We will also find out if Wealthsimple will score high enough to become one of the best Robo Advisors in terms of affordability and ease of use.

Wealthsimple Fees

We always discuss the fees and deposit limits before proceeding to other criteria. In this regard, Wealthsimple gets a high score because the service comes with a $0 account minimum. If this is the case, your account will be applied under the Wealthsimple Basic offering and will come with free dividend reinvestment, automatic rebalancing, and automated deposits.

There’s more good news: The Wealthsimple Robo Advisor will charge ZERO fees on trading, tax-loss harvesting, and transfers.

But there’s a caveat. Wealthsimple will impose 0.5% management fees on account balances between $5,000 and $100,000. If your account balance is above $100,000 (categorizing it under Wealthsimple Black, which is appropriate for larger investments), the management fee is 0.4%. This amount is higher than the management fees of the Best Robo Advisors such as Betterment, Zack’s Advantage, and Wealthfront.

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Wealthsimple Basic

Wealthsimple Black

Wealthsimple used to offer the first $5,000 investment for free. Existing clients who took advantage of this offer will continue to enjoy ZERO fees for one year. But now, Wealthsimple has a better offer exclusively for new clients.

If you sign up using our link, your first $10,000 investment will be managed for free! There are no hidden charges and you don’t need to do anything special. Simply sign up using our link and Wealthsimple will manage your first $10,000 for free!

Are you paying higher fees elsewhere on your RRSP, TFSA, or other accounts? You don’t have to. Transfer any accounts worth $10,000 to Wealthsimple and they’ll cover any transfer fees your bank tries to charge you.

So far, Wealthsimple is a Robo Advisor with no minimum deposit but with slightly higher management fees. It would have been great if the management fees are somewhat at par with the charges levied by the top Robo Advisors. From this initial perspective, it is clear that Wealthsimple is somewhat a better choice for big investors.

Flexibility

Wealthsimple is a fully-automated wealth management service. Although the service comes with automatic rebalancing and dividend reinvestment, this is not the type of Robo Advisor that is ideal for hands-on investors.

This comes as no surprise since the Wealthsimple app will reputably put all your investments on autopilot by utilizing the Modern Portfolio Theory. The service is also tweaked for younger investors who prefer to automate their investments using a beginner-friendly customer experience. If you happen to be a hands-off investor with large taxable accounts, Wealthsimple might be a good choice.

Ease of Use

Simplicity and ease of use are the highlights in this 2018 Wealthsimple review. This is one of the easiest ways to start investing. Signing up consists of a simple, three-step process that involves completing an online application, imprinting your E-signature on the required Investment Management Agreements, and entering your account information. After this, your new Wealthsimple account will be ready in five business days so you can begin investing.

Wealthsimple will offer free 401(k) assistance, tax loss harvesting, portfolio rebalancing, automatic weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly deposits, and socially-responsible investing in a fully automated account. It might be not as flexible as other Robo Advisors, but Wealthsimple shines when it comes to ease of use.

Account and Investment Types and Services

Wealthsimple basically offers two types of accounts: Wealthsimple Basic and Wealthsimple Black. The former is ideal for investors with account balances of up to $100,000 and comes with free automatic rebalancing, tax loss harvesting and dividend reinvestment. Remember, the first $10,000 in your account is managed for free for the first year if you use our link in this Wealthsimple review.

Wealthsimple Black is appropriate for investors with account balances of $100,000 and up. Clients under the Wealthsimple Black will pay lower management fees of 0.4% and get goal-based investing. You also get dedicated financial planning from expert advisors so you can earn more on your investment accounts.

Wealthsimple Black also gives you global access to 1000+ VIP airline lounges in over 400 cities around the globe. You also get a complimentary Priority Pass membership for you and a travel companion. Investors with a high net worth should definitely look into the brilliant services offered by Wealthsimple Black.

Your investment portfolio will consist of ETFs from 16 asset classes. You also get individual stocks for halal portfolios. Wealthsimple also shines in this regard since it gives American investors the opportunity to invest in socially responsible companies and halal investing products. If you are a socially responsible investor or if you are seeking halal investment choices that comply with Islamic law, you will definitely love the Wealthsimple Robo Advisor.

Suitability for Different Investment Budgets

Even though the account minimum is $0 for the Wealthsimple Basic service and will charge 0% advisory fees for the first year if your account balance is from $0 to $10,000, the service will impose a 0.5% fee for anything above that, up to $100,000.

The $0 account minimum is great, but the high management fee is a letdown. The good news is Wealthsimple will only charge 0.4% if your account balance is above $100,000. In this regard, your account will be classified under Wealthsimple Black. The advisory fee may be lower than Wealthsimple Basic, but it is still higher than the industry standard since Betterment and Wealthfront will only charge you 0.25%.

The Wealthsimple automated investment service is great for investors with both high and low budgets. The service also offers a lot of features, but all of it comes at a price.

Overall Summary

Wealthsimple is one of the best Robo Advisors for beginners, socially-responsible investors, high net worth investors, and investors who are searching for halal choices in their investment activities. The service is easy to use and offers a plethora of free premium features (automatic rebalancing and tax loss harvesting) along with access to human financial planners.

If you’re concerned about high management fees and want a more hands-on investing experience, you may want to look elsewhere. But if you’re a values-based investor or want a hands-off experience, Wealthsimple will be a good choice for you.